Chronicals of the Lifestream
by Cursed Cloud Strife
Summary: When a memory from Cloud's past reawakens and old enemies reappear. Will anyone save them...?


**CHRONICALS OF THE LIFESTREAM**

Gardens of the Lifestream.

Aerith walked through the fields of the Lifestream and lightly touched the petals of the delicate flowers, she could feel a slight breeze on her face. The flowers were brightly coloured with a sweet scent. She carefully picked one and put it up to her nose, the scent reminded her of her old home in Midgar and the church. Thinking of Midgar reminded her of Cloud, Tifa and the rest of the gang. As she thought about what Cloud might be doing back on the living planet, something brushed against her leg. She looked down and saw a small dog with chocolate brown fur, Aeris recognised the dog. It was the same dog that was at the beginners hall in Sector Seven in Midgar.

'Did you pass on to the Lifestream like me?' Aerith said with her sweet caring voice as she stroked the dogs head. The dog gave a little bark as if to say yes. 'Your owner gave you a name, didn't he?' Aerith tried to remember what the man at the beginners hall called the dog. 'Oh yeah...George. Your name is George, isn't it?' Aerith stroked George's head.

Aerith and George walked a little more through the never ending field of the Lifestream. As they were walking through the field the flowers were begging to look odd. They were getting wilted and decayed. As Aerith and George continued walking through the field, the flowers were becoming more and more wilted and decayed. Eventually they came to a part of the field were all the flowers were dead and a man was sitting in the middle of the dead patch of flowers, his silver hair was blowing in the light breeze. Sephiroth stood up and faced Aerith, he had his Masumune sword strapped to his back. George growled at Sephiroth, but stayed by Aerith's side. He stood silent before saying 'The Lifestream will bring me back. It's only a matter of time.' Sephiroth sat back down among the dead flowers. Lifestream energy started to gather round Sephiroth. Sephiroth then turned to dust as if the Lifestream was eating him. All that was left afterwards was one black feather. Aeris picked up the feather cautiously, but the feather turned to dust too.

Tifa and the Magical Cats of Chaos.

Tifa wiped the last glass of the washing up in the Seventh Heaven bar, in new city of edge. She sat down on a bar stool and waited for Cloud to come home. She waited for a long time but Cloud had not come back. Denzel and Marlene were out. Ever since Denzel recovered from Geo Stigma he had been going out a lot more and made loads of friends in Edge.

A boy of about 11 or 12 years of age ran into the bar shouting for help 'Help. There are weird creatures attacking the city.'

Tifa followed the boy outside and sure enough, there were cat type creatures attacking the citizens of edge. Tifa saw one about to attack a young girl across the street, Tifa ran over and punched the cat creature in the stomach, it fell over. Tifa went to hit it again, but her hand went straight through it. The cat creature turned into black smoke and disappeared.

Tifa ran up the street to the city centre. There was a man standing there with one black wing. it was Sephiroth. He had his faithful Masumune sword strapped to his black. There was some sort of forcefield surrounding him and Tifa couldn't penetrate it. She was helpless.

Sephiroth spoke; 'I have returned from the Lifestream to purge the planet of it's sins and return it to it's rightful ruler; Jenova.' After Sephiroth said this, he released some sort of Materia magic. Blue energy zoomed towards Tifa, she tried to dodge it but the energy hit her and she blacked out.

Memories Reawakened

Cloud was riding his Fenrir motorcycle along a path in the city of the Ancients. It had been exactly three years since Aeris had passed on to the Lifestream. He was taking a wreath to Aerith's grave. When he got to the spring where Aerith's body was laid to rest; he placed the flower wreath on the water. It carefully sunk to the bottom of the spring. Cloud turned around and all of a sudden he was in some sort of place he had never been before. No wait he had been there once before. It was his memories.

There wasn't anyone here this time. Last time he was in his own memories Tifa was there supporting him through his troubles. Now there was no one. Cloud walked around in the darkness before finding someone in the distance, he ran over to the person. It was Tifa.

'Tifa?' Cloud ran over to her. It was defiantly Tifa. She was standing quite still, but with a smile upon her face. She didn't talk, but Cloud knew she didn't need to talk, the smile on her face told Cloud all he needed to know.

'Hello Cloud.' Tifa said. 'We are in your memories again, aren't we?' Tifa giggled. 'I've been through some of your memories already. Some are a bit naughty aren't they.'

Cloud blushed 'I don't know what you mean...' Cloud shuffled his feet in embarrassment.

'You never told me you had a girlfriend when you worked for Shinra. I know her name as well' Tifa was saying with her smile still on her face, there was something empty about the smile though.

'…' Cloud didn't know what to say. He had almost forgot about her, it was so long ago. He had only went out with her for only about a year.

'Her name was Sarah, wasn't it? Asked Tifa.

Cloud replied '...Yes.'

'Should we go see some of your memories of her?' As Tifa said this a room with three doors appeared in front of them. Tifa went through one and lead Cloud into it.

They materialised into a different room. It was a girls bedroom, a ghostly Cloud and a girl was in it. The non-ghostly Cloud said 'It's Sarah. I remember this bedroom now, it's hers. This was our first kiss. And true enough the couple kissed. 'This was before I went to work in the Shinra. I was only 15, so was she.' Afterwards the room disappeared and the room with the doors reappeared. The one they had just gone through had disappeared, so only two was left. Tifa lead Cloud through another door.

Nibelheim materialised this time and Cloud and Sarah were standing next to the welcome sign that marked the entrance to Nibelheim, there was no one around apart from them. They were arguing.

Sarah was crying 'Why do you have to go? Why can't you stay here? You love me don't you?'

Cloud looked at her with blue eyes, they weren't glowing yet. 'I have to go. I want to join SOLDIER and be like the great Sephiroth.'

'So SOLDIER, Shinra and Sephiroth are more important than me?' Sarah asked with tears in her eyes.

Cloud was reluctant to say it but he had to tell her the truth. Or at least that's what he thought was the truth at the time; 'Yes. They are more important to me.'

'Well.' Sarah was too angry and upset at him to say any more. She slapped him than ran back to her house.

Cloud walked out of Nibelheim to join SOLDIER and Shinra. Nibelheim disappeared and one door that was left appeared.

'This door is locked.' Tifa said 'A memory you can't remember, or don't want to remember.' Tifa tried to open the door but it was locked. 'Cloud you try it.'

'OK Tifa.' Cloud went over to the door and turned the handle and the door opened. Cloud and Tifa went inside. This was a memory that Cloud had tried to forget. His dreams were turned to nightmares because of this memory.

Mother's Return to the Planet.

Denzel was in the ruins of Midgar. The children who survived Geo Stigma use the ruins of Midgar as there playground. The only place where they dare not go was the old Shinra headquarters because the adults always said a great evil was there. Some children didn't believe this and went up to the headquarters, but they never came back.

Denzel was playing with a mate of his named Craig. They had found a couple of planks of wood and had shaped them into swords. They were play fighting. 'Take that!' Denzel hit Crag's sword with his. Craig hit Denzel on the side, but it didn't hurt him. He pretended to be hurt, and said 'I'll get you for that!' and laughed.

After they finished fighting they walked back towards edge. Before they left Midgar, Denzel saw a trail of blood. Craig had already gone on ahead so he was left on his own. Denzel decided to follow the trail to see where It lead. He followed it right up to the entrance to Shinra headquarters, he didn't know whether or not to go in the building. He thought he better check it out so he went into the Shinra Headquarters.

The trail of blood lead to the stairs so Denzel climbed them. He was thinking as he was going up 'This person has lost a lot of blood.' the higher he got up the tower, the more he worried. He eventually reached some sort of laboratory on the 67th floor the blood lead to the back of the room where there was a broken lift. There was a rope hanging where the lift should be. Denzel climbed the rope to the 68th floor. There was a weird creature on the 68th floor that resembled a woman slightly, but had no head. Denzel had given his wooden sword to Craig look after, so he was armless.

The woman was not doing anything and had her back towards Denzel. Denzel wandered how she got up here, but the thought quickly escaped his head as soon as he saw she was trying to use some Materia. It was dark blue, which was strange because Denzel knew there could be red, green, yellow, purple and grey Materia, but he had never heard of a dark blue Materia. The Materia glowed and she glowed green. She then turned to dust. Out of the dust came a different woman, but this time with a head. No. It was the same women but she had regenerated her whole body.

She turned round and saw Denzel 'Who are you?'

'Denzel'

'Well Denzel,' she brushed her hair out of her eyes. 'You will be the first to see your new ruler; me, Jenova.'

Jenova knocked Denzel out with one hit of her fist. Denzel blacked out.

Village of Lost Memories

Marlene walked through Nibelhiem. She was there with Barret, her step-dad. Barret had gone off to the Mako reactor, so she was left to explore the deserted town on her own. She sat on the well that was in the middle of the town. As she sat there she saw a flickering light in the Shinra mansion. The light went out. She thought she better check it out so she went over to the Shinra mansion and went inside.

She couldn't see anything on the bottom floor so she went up the stairs and right. There was nothing in the back room of the mansion, but there was a secret passageway in the fireplace in the front room of the top floor of the mansion that someone had left open. She entered the passageway and went down the spiral staircase. She entered some sort of laboratory that was at the end of the corridor at the bottom of the spiral staircase. She couldn't believe what she saw.

Reactions to Mako

Barret had reached the Mako reactor, he had been climbing the mountain for what seemed like a couple of hours. The door was closed and locked like he expected, so he got out some explosives and blew the door open. He was in Nibelheim because he heard someone had locked themselves in the Mako reactor, even though it had been shut for five years.

As he walked in the reactor he didn't see anyone, but he had gone too far to walk away now, so he went on.

He reached the main vent room, that was just before the Jenova chamber. He saw something shiny lying on the floor next to the chamber. It was the Masumune blade, it was covered in blood.

Barret went into the Jenova chamber, the door wasn't locked. He went inside and saw Cloud in a pool of blood on he floor.

The letter of answers.

Cloud opened the final door. His worst nightmare was behind it. Him and Tifa went through the door and Nibelhiem materialised. Cloud spoke to Tifa 'This was when I was aloud some time away from Shinra. It was a year after I left the village. It was just like I never left. You weren't there though.'

Tifa stared at Cloud. 'Was it exactly a year?' Cloud nodded. 'Then I was away to see family then. And your mother was gone somewhere else as well. I don't know where though.'

They continued walking through the village and up to Sarah's house. The ghostly Cloud was there and had knocked at the door. He was in casual clothes, not a Shinra uniform. Someone opened the door.

It wasn't Sarah, it was some woman so Cloud asked 'Is Sarah here?'

The woman looked at Cloud and replied 'No she moved a couple of months back.' she looked at Cloud's hair 'Are you Cloud?'

'Yes.'

'Wait here a sec.' The woman went indoors and came back with a sealed envelope. 'Here you go.'

Cloud took the envelop and walked away. He sat on top of the well and broke the seal of the envelop. There was a letter inside;

_Dear Cloud_

_I wish you didn't leave the village but you _

_obviously care more for Shinra than me. If you get this _

_letter than you have come to find me at my house. I am_

_not there any more. I moved away and don't bother _

_trying to find me. What we once had is no more and I_

_don't wish to see you no more._

_From_

_Sarah_

The ghostly Cloud read the letter again and again but he could do no more. He just sat and looked up at the clouds above him. The scene vanished and an empty black void reappeared again.

Cloud almost forgot about the letter. He wanted to forget. In fact he needed to forget the memory. 'You're not...' He stepped towards Tifa, 'You're not Tifa!' he started to run towards Tifa with his Buster sword held high. 'Tifa would never do this to me!' He slashed with his sword and cut Tifa in half side ways. All her vital organs fell out and flopped onto the floor. Her blood covered his sword. It was also all down his clothes. Cloud slipped on Tifa's heart and he passed out. The two parts of Tifa's corpse disappeared into dust and all that was left was a single black feather.

Reawakening from a Nightmare.

Cloud woke up. He stood up and saw blood all down his clothes. He looked around; he was in the Jenova chamber in the Nibelhiem Mako reactor. He turned round and saw Barret with a look of horror on his face. 'Who's blood is that?' he asked.

Cloud looked down at the pool of blood. 'There was some sort of monster in here so I dealt with it.'

'Um...' Barret was still slightly horrified but believed him '...OK.'

Cloud and Barret went outside the reactor. As they went outside something struck them over their heads and they both blacked out.

An Angel of Death.

There stood Sephiroth with his Masumune sword and his one black wing. He turned round and through a book at Marlene's head. She passed out.

Reunion.

Sephiroth looked at the cave he was in. It was the Northern crater. He had Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Denzel and Marlene tied up and gagged. They had all woken up now. As he walked around the cave, Jenova entered and had her own sword. It was only a simple Shinra SOLDIER sword.

Sephiroth spoke to the mere mortals lying on the ground. Soon to pass onto the Lifestream. 'I will summon Meteor once again and with you lot out of action. No-one can stop me.' He laughed menacingly. He pulled out the black Materia from his pocket and summoned Meteor.

Saviour from a memory.

Before Sephiroth could use the Materia, a girl about the same age as Cloud walked into the cave. She had a sword on her back and some throwing knifes in her hands. She threw on at Sephiroth and it cut his hand off. Blood poured from his wrist. The girl threw another knife and it cut his other hand off.

She walked up to Jenova and drew her sword. She repeatedly stabbed Jenova through the chest until Jenova was no more. She untied everyone.

Cloud yet again.

'Sarah?' Cloud stepped slowly towards the girl who had just saved them. 'Is that you Sarah?' the girl nodded. Cloud wrapped his arms and they embraced in a passionate kiss.

When they let let go of each other Sarah explained that she saw an angel with one black wing enter this cave. She also explained that the letter was wrote when she had had a ruff night and someone told her that Cloud had been seen with another women.

'I have been with no-one since we went out.' Cloud said quite sure of himself.

'I know.' Sarah said 'It was a mate who I upset and she wanted to get her own back. I stupidly believed her. When I joined SOLDIER...'

Cloud interrupted her 'You were in SOLDIER?'

'Yeah I was. I joined to look for you because you were always on about joining SOLDIER when you were living in Nibelhiem. I didn't get far though. Only a second class. You must have got to first class because I never saw you.'

'I didn't even join SOLDIER.' Cloud said with shame 'I wasn't good enough.'

'That doesn't matter any more' Sarah said with a caring voice 'We have each other now.'

Cloud, Sarah and the rest of the gang in the cave went home. Sarah and Cloud started to live together in the hope nothing could pull them apart again. It was only hope though, would it be enough...?


End file.
